Brassiere



Dec. 8, 1936. s. KIBBE 2,063,104

BRAssIERE I Filed Nov. 25, 1935 INVENTOR RrToRNEY Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a form-supporting foundation garment and more particularly to the construction of the shoulder straps therefor.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a shoulder strap for the type of garment referred to, which permits tensioning of different portions of the garment, so as to force the flesh, such as for instance, the bust, into desirable positions, so that any excess of flesh or sagging busts, may be molded into the figure to obliterate any undesirable bulges which could not be corrected if the usual type of brassiere were used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoulder strap that is instantly adjustable to 15 any desired position, without pinning or sewing.

A still further object is to provide a shoulder strap that is readily removable for cleaning, without the necessity of ripping and re-sewing.

Other objects and features of advantage will be apparent and will be specifically pointed out in the specification hereunto annexed. It is to be understood however, that the invention is not to be limited to the particular form thereof shown and described, as various embodiments thereof may be employed within the scope of the appended claims.

The broader aspects of the invention may be understood upon reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a figure clad in the conventional type of brassiere. This figure incorporates none of the features of the invention and is used for comparison only.

Figure 2 is a perspective View, similar to Figure 1, showing a brassire constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and fitted with the improved shoulder straps thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged front elevational view showing the attachment of a shoulder strap to the brassiere.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the shoulder strap.

There are several undesirable features inherent in the conventional type of brassiere, such as that illustrated in Figure 1, the most important of which is the lack of adjustability of the garment to afiord proper support for any flabby flesh which may be present on the body, and particu larly in the bust. A common deformity, as shown in the figure, is the presence of surplus flesh of 50 the breast 5 under the arm, as is indicated by the numeral 6. This causes the bust to appear abnormally wide, which is usually most undesirable. Some women are naturally possessed of flabby, infirm breasts while in others the breasts become 55 flabby due to loss of considerable weight or from other causes. It is impossible to provide a conventional brassiere which will properly support and shape all busts since the individual shape and condition of the latter, even though they are possessed of the same girth, diifer so widely. Thus, in Figure 1, even though the shoulder straps I be shortened, the only result obtained will be to elevate the bust 5 while the surplus flesh 6 under the arms will be unafiected. Similarly in a person having a flabby bust, although no surplus flesh is present under the arms, shortening of the shoulder straps will cause compression of the bust as the upper edge of the brassiere is raised, and consequent widening of the bust as shown in the figure.

I have overcome this undesirable feature by providing a brassiere on which the shoulder straps may be adjusted to tension the brassiere over parts of the bust where bulgy or flabby flesh is present, thus controlling and molding the bust to a more desirable form. a

In detail, the usual form of fabric brassiere is employed, comprising the belt portion 8, which is provided as usual with hooks for holding it in position encircling the wearers waist, and the upper portion 9 which has the usual shaped portions [0 for the reception of the breasts H. Instead of the strap 1 shown in Figure l, I provide a loop I2 of fabric or elastic tape whose ends I3 are stitched in spaced relationship to the upper edge IA of the brassiere, and the loop of which is passed through the slot IS in the shank l6 of the hook H. The size of the slot is slightly smaller than the width and thickness of the tape so that to move the shank along the tape requires a little effort, and when the shank has been moved to a desired position it may not, under normal stresses, be readily displaced. The hook I! is adapted to be engaged in eyelets l8 provided in each end of a fabric strap [9, which is shown in Figure 4.

It will of course be understood that loops similar to the loop I2 are provided on the edge 14 of the brassiere at the rear of the latter and that these loops are also each provided with hooks for engaging the eyelets of the strap l9.

Figure 2 illustrates but one manner in which the brassiere of my invention, particularly the improved shoulder straps thereof, functions to support, mold, and in a large degree obliterate flabby or excess flesh of the wearer. This, it will be understood, is but an example as it is obviously impossible to illustrate all conditions which the invention will remedy. The figure illustrates in the right-hand portion thereof,,the condition referred to above, in which a portion 20 of the flesh of the bust II extends over the side of the body under the arm 22. The pocket ll! of the brassire supports the breast in the usual 'manner, being itself supported by the shoulder strap attached to the loop H as de- 7 scribed above.

By referring now'to the left-hand portion of the figure it will be seen how the protruding portion 20 of the bust may be so displaced that it will be practically obliterated; Obviously, to accomplish this, the portions of the brassiere overlying the protruding portion must be tensioned so as to exert pressure on the flesh against the body. This is done by shifting the shank of the hook along the loop so that the portion 23 thereof will be shorter than the portion 24. This tightens the fabric of the brassiere along a line terminating at its respective ends at the waist portion of the brassiere, and the hook l1, and

located.

passing above the area where the excess flesh is It is obvious that this tensioning is supplemented by the elastic loop [2. By so tensioning the fabric, the flesh is forced forward of :the body where ,it will merge with the flesh of the breast. Additional tension may be procured by raising the hook to the next higher eyelet I8 of the strap.

From the above, it is obvious that by careful manipulation and adjustment of the shoulder straps and loops, the bust, or the flesh immediately adjacent, may be forced, within limits, into any desired position, and that any unsightly excess or flabby flesh may be molded into the figure to give the latter the curvature desired. It will also be seen that the elastic loops I2 permit stretching of the shoulder straps to accomodate any normal body movements.

Other desirable features of the invention are, that the straps l9 are wide and unlike the narrow straps usually employed and are not likely to chafe the shoulders of the wearer; that no elastic is used in the straps, which, due to breakage of the rubber strands, disturbs the adjustment of the straps; and that the straps are removable for washing.

provide a hook, a shoulder strap having spaced apertures therein adjacent each end thereof, and metallic eyelets mounted in said apertures in which the hook of said member is engageable.

2. In. a brassiere, a strip of fabric having opposite ends thereof attached in substantial spaced relation to said brassiere to form an inverted V-shaped loop, said loop being attached to said brassire in a position whereby extensions of lines passing longitudinally of said portions of the strip forming the sides of the loop will each pass over different portions of a breast of the wearer, and in substantial angular relation with respect to each other, a shoulder strap secured at one end thereof to said brassire and provided with a plurality of apertures spaced longitudinally thereof, 'a, member having an opening therein through which the strip forming said loop passes and a hook thereonengageable with any of said shoulder strap apertures, the area of said opening being less than the cross-sectional area of said strip whereby the portion of said strip passing through the opening 7 is compressed to secure, against ready movement, said member onsaid strip, and whereby,

upon movement of said member to different posi-' tions along said loop, said shoulder strap may 

